Hi,

I have Debian 3.0 woody with 2.2.20 vanilla version installed on my pc. I managed apparently do some mistake during installation which accounted to following problems:

1. I can't mount my cdrom as "mount /cdrom" for some reason. My dear Linux tells me: "mount: special device /dev/cdrom does not exist" Do I have to go through modconf? I installed my debian through net installation so my dselect doesn't find it either.

2. After my installation, I wanted to configure lilo.conf to clear up some crap in LILO menu. But when I run the command lilo it replies "Fatal: No images have been defined or default image doesn't exist."

Any ideas?

Thanks a million.

Indy

1) Maybe your /dev directory isn't set up right. try "mount /dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom" and if that works, try "ln -s /dev/hdc /dev/cdrom"

2)what does lilo.conf look like? (post it ;-)

Hi, adam!

Thanks for your reply.

1) yep it worked. But what does this link command do?

2) Here is my lilo.conf:
------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/lilo.conf - See: `lilo(8)' and `lilo.conf(5)',
# --------------- `install-mbr(8)', `/usr/share/doc/lilo/',
# and `/usr/share/doc/mbr/'.

# +---------------------------------------------------------------+
# | !! Reminder !! |
# | |
# | Don't forget to run `lilo' after you make changes to this |
# | conffile, `/boot/bootmess.txt', or install a new kernel. The |
# | computer will most likely fail to boot if a kernel-image |
# | post-install script or you don't remember to run `lilo'. |
# | |
# +---------------------------------------------------------------+

# Support LBA for large hard disks.
#
lba32

# Overrides the default mapping between harddisk names and the BIOS'
# harddisk order. Use with caution.
#disk=/dev/hde
# bios=0x81

#disk=/dev/sda
# bios=0x80

# Specifies the boot device. This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block. It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
#
boot=/dev/hda

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
#
root=/dev/hdb2

# Enable map compaction:
# Tries to merge read requests for adjacent sectors into a single
# read request. This drastically reduces load time and keeps the
# map smaller. Using `compact' is especially recommended when
# booting from a floppy disk. It is disabled here by default
# because it doesn't always work.
#
# compact

# Installs the specified file as the new boot sector
# You have the choice between: bmp, compat, menu and text
# Look in /boot/ and in lilo.conf(5) manpage for details
#
install=/boot/boot-menu.b

# Specifies the location of the map file
#
map=/boot/map

# You can set a password here, and uncomment the `restricted' lines
# in the image definitions below to make it so that a password must
# be typed to boot anything but a default configuration. If a
# command line is given, other than one specified by an `append'
# statement in `lilo.conf', the password will be required, but a
# standard default boot will not require one.
#
# This will, for instance, prevent anyone with access to the
# console from booting with something like `Linux init=/bin/sh',
# and thus becoming `root' without proper authorization.
#
# Note that if you really need this type of security, you will
# likely also want to use `install-mbr' to reconfigure the MBR
# program, as well as set up your BIOS to disallow booting from
# removable disk or CD-ROM, then put a password on getting into the
# BIOS configuration as well. Please RTFM `install-mbr(8)'.
#
# password=tatercounter2000

# Specifies the number of deciseconds (0.1 seconds) LILO should
# wait before booting the first image.
#
delay=20

# You can put a customized boot message up if you like. If you use
# `prompt', and this computer may need to reboot unattended, you
# must specify a `timeout', or it will sit there forever waiting
# for a keypress. `single-key' goes with the `alias' lines in the
# `image' configurations below. eg: You can press `1' to boot
# `Linux', `2' to boot `LinuxOLD', if you uncomment the `alias'.
#
# message=/boot/bootmess.txt
prompt
timeout=30
#prompt
#single-key
#delay=100
#timeout=100

# Specifies the VGA text mode at boot time. (normal, extended, ask, <mode>)
#
# vga=ask
# vga=9
#
vga=normal

# Kernel command line options that apply to all installed images go
# here. See: The `boot-prompt-HOWO' and `kernel-parameters.txt' in
# the Linux kernel `Documentation' directory.
#
# append=""

# Boot up Linux by default.
#
default=Linux

image=/vmlinuz
label=Debian
read-only
#restricted
#alias=1

image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
#restricted
#alias=2

# If you have another OS on this machine to boot, you can uncomment the
# following lines, changing the device name on the `other' line to
# where your other OS' partition is.
#
# other=/dev/hda4
#label=HURD
#restricted
#alias=3
other=/dev/hda1
label="Win 98"

#other=/dev/hda5
# label="Windows(hda5)"
------------------------------------------------------------

The line that says "default=Linux" change to "default=Debian".
Then run lilo.

so this is what you had going to lilo:

lba32
boot=/dev/hda
root=/dev/hdb2
map=/boot/map
delay=20
prompt
timeout=30
vga=normal
default=Linux
image=/vmlinuz
label=Debian
read-only
image=/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
optional
other=/dev/hda1
label="Win 98"

I compared it with my lilo.conf, and I sorted it out a little. I pointed out the areas you might want to change.... but I don't know your setup, so make change it if you need.


libda32 #<-- don't know what that one's for?
prompt
timeout=30
default=Linux
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b #<-- didn't have that
linear

image=/boot/vmlinuz #<-- image=/boot/kern. , not /kern
label=Debian
read-only
root=/dev/hdb2
vga=normal

image=/boot/vmlinuz.old
label=LinuxOLD
read-only
root=/dev/hdb2 # <-- is that right?

optional #<-- I don't know what that one's for?
other=/dev/hda1
label="Win 98" #<-- never done it

hope that helps.

links are files that just point to some other file...

cd ~/random_dir/
echo "file one" > one.txt
cat one.txt
file one
ln -s one.txt two.txt
cat two.txt
file_one

Ah thanks adam and cinders. It was conflict with label and default value. I just forgot that I changed it.. ajaj.

But what about this ln -s /dev/hdc.... do I have to execute it every time or will this link make be able to just do "mount /cdrom" ?

Indy

the link from /dev/hdc to /dev/cdrom will be perminant. do "ls -l /dev | grep cdrom" and you'll see what it's pointing to now. If you /etc/fstab file tells /dev/cdrom to mount on /cdrom, then you should be able to do that (mount /cdrom).

have fun

-Adam

cheers man... thanks for your help